Messages

61

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Wood for Christmas Ornaments

« on: September 27, 2018, 09:13:32 am »

I find it interesting that some people prefer 1/8" baltic birch.

I am fairly new, so this may just be my inexperience, but I would have thought that 1/8" would be a bit fragile, at least for some patterns.

There is a sheet of 1/8" at home, maybe I will cut a strip off one side and cut a few patterns, and see what they come out like.

With 1/8" material, your stack cutting could produce a LOT! 

62

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Wood for Christmas Ornaments

« on: September 24, 2018, 02:09:32 pm »

....if I am painting them I use baltic birch and hardwood for stained or clear finish.

Thanks!

What is your source for 1/4" hardwood?  Do you purchase it as such, or do you resaw your own?

63

General Scroll Saw Talk / Wood for Christmas Ornaments

« on: September 24, 2018, 09:36:54 am »

I am looking at making some flat ornaments for this Christmas, and have a question for those who have been cutting these in the past.

Most patterns say to use 1/4" thick wood.  That makes sense, the ornaments are not very big.

What is the preferred wood - 1/4" baltic birch plywood, or a hardwood that is 1/4" thick?

Thanks!

64

Computer questions / Re: Computer Problems

« on: September 17, 2018, 10:07:52 am »

I have read through all the answers and nobody that I saw recommended adding RAM.

You are absolutely correct.

If any Windows machine runs more applications and services than will fit into RAM, the machine will start using virtual memory.  That means that segments of RAM will be swapped to and from the hard drive.

What this really means is that your computer will slow to a crawl!  Moving blocks of memory to something as slow as a spinning hard drive is painfully slow.  Even if you have an SSD (solid state drive), it will still  have a major impact on system performance.

There are two solutions - running few apps (including closing browser tabs), or install more memory.

Most recent computers will allow up to 16Gb ram, even though they often ship with only 2Gb installed.  This is not overly expensive, and addresses the issue in the best way possible.

If the computer is older, it should still allow up to 8Gb ram, which will help.  I have an older Toshiba 12.5" laptop with 8Gb installed and an low power dual core i7 CPU.  As long as I don't go crazy opening applications and browser tabs, it is still a great performer

Buying a machine with the latest and greatest CPU buys you bragging rights.  Buying a machine with a balanced configuration (CPU, RAM, storage, video, buss type) will give you a machine that continues to be useful far past the time you would ever expect.

65

Computer questions / Re: How to work with a scanned page rather than a .pdf pattern

« on: September 07, 2018, 06:12:50 pm »

The page I'm working with right now has 3 pieces on the same pattern page and when I try to import the scanned image into Inkscape and then "ungroup" it, I can get nowhere. Can anybody help me to understand what I am either doing wrong and not doing? What is the difference between the two .pdf files?

Ray

There are basically two types of PDF files - those that are composed of text and graphics, and those that are basically an image with a PDF wrapper.

This is an over-simplification, but it is accurate in terms of your question

The first type can be manipulated.

The second type can not be changed.  There is nothing to ungroup - it is just a lot of dots on a page.

All you can do is mark parts of the page and save them as separate images.

66

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Best Wood for Thin Walls

« on: August 03, 2018, 10:05:02 pm »

I use hardwood.  It's more expensive, but it finishes better and is dencer.  I like cherry and maple.  If you have access to a planner, you can recycle discarded furniture.

I have both a jointer and a planer.  Recycling furniture is a neat idea!  Thanks!!

67

General Scroll Saw Talk / Excalibur Upper Arm Adjustment

« on: July 27, 2018, 12:50:24 pm »

I picked up a used Excalibur EX-21, which is working well so far.

However, the upper arm keeps dropping.  There is no tension in the adjustment knob to speak of, so having it vibrate and allowing the upper arm to lower over time seems likely.

Is this a common issue? 

Is there a way to old the upper arm in place, once you have it ajusted?

Thanks!

68

Ask Steve a question. / Re: Another Stacked Scroll Saw Basket Pattern - July 10/18

« on: July 13, 2018, 02:58:10 pm »

Don - you are correct, they appear identical except that the wobble bowl has the circle to make the topper.

Thanks!

69

Ask Steve a question. / Re: Another Stacked Scroll Saw Basket Pattern - July 10/18

« on: July 12, 2018, 07:06:21 am »

Spirithorse- the round ring is a separate pattern on the following page.  That also has the pattern for the round base.

This is the pattern I am referring to:

http://www.stevedgood.com/2018stackedbasket.pdf

70

Ask Steve a question. / Another Stacked Scroll Saw Basket Pattern - July 10/18

« on: July 10, 2018, 09:51:47 am »

Steve - would it be possible to add one more ring to your latest pattern, "Another Stacked Scroll Saw Basket Pattern"?

This would be a circle, letting the top ring of the basket have a nice round outside edge.

I think I could do this, but I doubt I could do it as well as you, since you have the original pattern in whatever software you used.

Thanks!

71

Brag Forum / Re: Proud to be

« on: July 01, 2018, 01:05:39 pm »

Very nice!

Very appropriate!

From one proud Canuk to another!

72

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Best Wood for Thin Walls

« on: June 24, 2018, 10:55:22 am »

DW - thanks!

I kind of figured maple would be good, great to have it confirmed.  Don't have any pieces bit enough for this project, but should be able to get some.

You will have to experiment a bit to see what wood works best for you and your style of cutting.

How do you mean "your style of cutting"?  I have not been doing this long enough to understand what styles of cutting exist.

What about african mahogany?  Does it work well when cut thin?  I have some of that on hand, but don't want to waste it if it is not a good choice for this project.

73

General Scroll Saw Talk / Best Wood for Thin Walls

« on: June 22, 2018, 11:36:19 am »

Just did one of Steve's patterns, "God Loves Cowboys".  This was done in pine, partly because that is what I had available, partly as a test of the just-purchase new (to me) Excalibur EX-21. and partly as a first pass at a moderately complicated pattern (for me).

Pine is pretty soft, so I had my doubts that it was a good choice given the thin walls in many places.  As expected, the wood broke easily in one place, and a piece of wood was broken off when using my mop sander.  Not overly upset that the final product was ruined - I had not really thought it would stand up, and it was great practice.

What is a good choice for thin walled patterns?  I know that Steve says that his favourites as walnut and maple.  I can also get oak fairly easily.  Which is best to give some strength to thin patterns?

Thanks!

74

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Finger Numbness

« on: May 30, 2018, 10:34:33 am »

Agreed with Jim - that has the potential to be something serious.  Medical advice would be a good idea.

75

General Scroll Saw Talk / Re: Foot switch

« on: May 30, 2018, 10:33:25 am »

It sounds like the primary issue is the tone of Steve's comment.  He sounded very absolute.

The of the drawbacks of email/texting/etc is the lack of subtext.  Steve may not have meant to sound like a god issuing an edict!   

Of course, you can always challenge Steve at a show over the types of footswitch.  If it results in a fistfight, then you will know that his tone was intentional.....